I Know Things Now
by turnitintolove
Summary: She knew she should call her.  Instead she was standing outside of CVS, trying to put band-aids over her cuts and trying to not wince or cry.  Especially cry.
1. Chapter 1

She knows she should call her. Instead she's standing outside of CVS, trying to put band-aids over her cuts and trying to not wince or cry. Especially cry. She didn't cry when she looked her father in the eye. And she didn't cry after the first blow. Weakness is not an option. Instead, she pulls her red hoodie closer to her bruised and puffy face.

She hadn't planned on it. Well, she hadn't planned on the beating. Being kicked out, maybe. But this; being used as a punching bag was something she never thought her own father would do.

* * *

><p>"Mija, you can't stay at her house tonight."<p>

"Dad, we have glee tomorrow morning. We can't let the competition beat us this year. Especially those Carmel dou-"

"Santana!" Her dad cut her off from his place in the doorway.

"Sorry." She was pulling her boots on. "I already told her we would go over songs. Besides, why do you care?"

Her father just watched. She smiled at the mere mention of her and it left him with a bitter taste in his mouth and a heavy feeling in his gut. "You spend too much time with her. Why don't I ever see Puck or the shaggy haired boy?"

Santana snorted, "I spend time with her because she's my best friend. And boys are stupid. No offense." She shrugged off the comment, laughing at something that he didn't understand.

"I don't like it. And I see the way she looks at you. It's not right mija."

Santana froze at her father's last statement. "Not right? Are you serious?" She made her way to the door with her overnight bag in her hand, he dropped his arm to block her exit and she took a step back in surprise.

"It's wrong. The bible says it. _Man shall not lie with man._" He stared at her, waiting for a challenge. Fear starting to bubble deep in Santana, the fear that she suppressed while walking the halls at school. The same fear she felt deep in her soul.

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not a man." She gave him a timid smile and prayed that this conversation was over. She wasn't ready to have this conversation, not yet.

It happened so fast she wasn't sure that it really had happened or if she was seeing one of her nightmares. But she felt was the sting across her left cheek and looked at her father, rage quickly rising within him. The large vein in his neck was pulsing. Santana had never seen her father this angry. Not even when he chased Puck out of her window.

"What the fuck!" It was the first thing that came to her mind as she clutched her face. "What is wrong with you?"

The anger and hurt in Santana's voice only fueling her father's rage, it was all the confirmation he needed that he had been right. He brought the back of his hand to the other side of her face causing her to back into her wall. "No daughter of mine –"

"What? Not daughter of yours will what? Love? Be loved? Be loved unconditionally? What is so wrong about that? I love her." She stopped and shook her head, "No, I'm in love with her. How is that wrong?" She was screaming without realizing it. Standing up to the man who had loved her and protected her for seventeen years. Seventeen years and this was how it was going to end.

As hit after hit came down, all she could do was try to block him. Block the angry fists and hateful words that were spat at her. She screamed for him to stop. Begged. But she didn't cry. She waited. Waited until her body gave out and she slumped in the corner all too aware of the bleeding and bruises.

"Get out of my house." It was said with a quiet rage that scared the small battered teenager. "Get out." He said it again over his shoulder as he left her room.

As quickly as she could, she gathered her things. A few clothes, her books, laptop, a few photos, and the small gifts that Brittany had given her over the years. She pulled on a red hoodie, trying to cover her battered face and left through the window. Not wanting to give her father a second chance at anything.

She had at least another hour before Brittany and her family would return from their usual Friday night out, so she stopped at CVS to buy some bandages. She received a few looks from the other customers and cashiers, but all she could manage was a mumbled Fight Club reference.

She was debating on calling Brittany to come pick her up when she realized that her phone had been knocked from her hands at some point. It her hurry to leave, she'd left it behind. Instead she stood in the shadows of a streetlamp and attempted to patch herself up.

"Santana?" She lifted her gaze to the familiar sound, of course Rachel would be the person to find her. "Santana, are you okay? Oh my goodness you're bleeding!"

"Leave me alone Rachel." She was in too much pain to come up with an insult. Something that did not go unnoticed, all it made Rachel do was move closer to look at the darkening bruises on Santana's face. Worry clouding her face as she took in the her injuries. "What part of leave me alone did you not get?" She breathed out, too exhausted to put any venom behind it.

"You're hurt. What happened? Who did this to you? Where are you going? Are you okay?" All of her questions came out at once as she tried to pull Santana's hood down. The action made Santana back up and whimper at the sight of hands coming towards her. "Santana! Look at me!"

"Look Berry, nothing happened. I, uh, I tripped. So will you please, please just leave me alone?" It all came out as a quiet plea. Rachel nodded and took a step back, giving Santana room to pick up her bag and walk away. As Rachel watched her limp away, she took out her phone and sent Brittany a text.

* * *

><p>"Rachel, slow down. What's going on?" Brittany had squeezed out of the booth at Breadstix and gone outside.<p>

"Someone beat her up. She told me she tripped, but Brittany, she was bleeding. And she's limping."

"What? What do you mean she's limping?" Panic started to creep into her voice.

"Well, I'm sorta following her."

"Where is she?" Brittany was on the verge of tears. Not knowing what was wrong with Santana. Not knowing where she was. And worst of all, not being there for her.

"She just turned onto, uh, Spruce street."

Relief flooded Brittany. "Will you watch her, make sure she makes it into my house?"

"Yeah, sure. It's not a problem."

Neither hung up as Rachel watched from her car as Santana climbed the trellis that lead her to Brittany's window.

"She's in."

"Thank you Rachel." She breathed.

"Brittany, take care of her."

"I will. Thank you calling me."

Brittany hung up the phone and wiped the tears from her cheeks. She walked up to her family sitting in the booth, "Can we go home?"

"But pumpkin, our food just got here." Her dad said as he looked up and saw her red eyes, "What's wrong?"

"I – its Santana. I think she's hurt and she's waiting for me. Please." She looked at her father who nodded. Silent understanding in his kind eyes. He called the waiter and had them box their food up and bring the bill. "Thank you." She whispered. The Pierce family piled back into their car and headed home.

Brittany pulled out her phone and dialed Santana's number, "Please pick up. Please pick up." Straight to voicemail. She couldn't even get a hold of her to find out what was wrong. All she could do was will the twenty minute drive home to go by faster.

* * *

><p>As soon as she climbed through Brittany's window, she breathed a sigh of relief. Not realizing that she hadn't really been breathing as she tried to focus on anything besides the pain in her body. As carefully as possible, she removed her clothing and walked into the bathroom and started the shower. Only when she caught sight of her reflection did she gasp. Her torso was bruised and lines of dried blood had caked around a few gashes. Her face was swollen and she had streams of dried blood coming from her hairline.<p>

Easing herself under the stream of warm water, she let her muscles relax. Finally feeling the damage that had been done to her small frame. She stood there, staring at the drain until the water ran clear. Watching any love for her father go down with the blood and sweat that had been cleaned from her body.

All she did was fall in love. How was that a bad thing? How could her own father; who was programmed to love her no matter what do this to her? She didn't understand how falling in love voided that.

After carefully drying herself off and applying a few bandages, she put on a pair of black cotton boy shorts before climbing onto to Brittany's bed. She inhaled her scent, letting exhaustion and heartbreak carry her into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

><p>Brittany slowly opened her door, not sure of what she would find. Her heart sank when she took in the sight of the small girl lying on her bed. Bruises, welts, and a few gashes marred her usually perfect skin. Skin that was meant to be caressed, kissed, but never struck. She quietly made her way to the bed, discarding her shoes and jeans on the floor before slowly climbing onto the bed.<p>

At the dip of the mattress, Santana stirred, slowly rolling over to look at Brittany. Clear blue eyes sought out dark ones, only to find hurt and fear staring back, unshed tears threatening to spill over. Brittany simply cupped her face and brought her lips gently against her own. Santana let out a choked sob as she grabbed handfuls of Brittany's shirt.

"I, I –"

"Shh, shh, shh. It's okay. You're okay." Brittany carefully wrapped her arms around Santana. Feeling her body shake as she finally let her walls come crumbling down.

"I don't have anywhere to go." Was all she managed to choke out between sobs.

"I'm here. I've got you baby." She repeated the words to her until the sobs became whimpers. "I love you. I've got you."

As Santana relaxed in her love's arms she whispered a quiet "I love you" before drifting off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: So, I just wanted to thank people for reading this! This chapter and the previous one are based off of super awesome, but angsty fanart that I saw on tumblr by **z-tagada**. You should check her art out. It's awesome._

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><p>Brittany noticed something was wrong almost immediately. Her breathing had changed, become more labored. But more importantly, she just knew.<p>

"Santana? Santana, baby wake up."

Nothing.

"Santana!" She was getting no response from the small battered girl next to her. "Santana!" She was screaming her name, shaking her body to no avail. Brittany's parents ran in, rubbing the sleep from their eyes and taking in the sight. Brittany was shaking Santana, crying. Not only was she not waking, but they took in the bruises that covered her body. "Help! Please!" Brittany's mother reached for the phone on her daughter's desk and dialed 911.

It didn't take long for the paramedics to arrive. But it did take some convincing on Brittany's part for them to let her ride with them to the hospital.

"Please. She's my girlfriend, I'm all she has. Please." Whether it was the way she pleaded or the constant flow of tears, she was allowed to ride with them and hold her hand.

"Where did she get all of these bruises?" A young female paramedic was typing notes into a tablet while waiting for Brittany to answer.

"I-I don't know. She was okay. I mean, she wasn't okay. But she was. She just went to sleep. I don't know. She has to be okay. Please tell me she's going to be okay." She didn't bother to look at anyone else in the back of the fast moving vehicle. The only person she could see was Santana. She looked like she was sleeping.

"We're going to do everything we can to find out what's wrong. It looks like she has a pretty serious concussion. Where are her parents? They're going to need to be notified."

"I think they kicked her out."

The paramedic shook her head and sighed. It hadn't been the first time she'd seen kids in this town be kicked out or beaten because they'd been brave enough to come out. What the hell was wrong with these people?

The ambulance came to an abrupt stop and the back doors were opened. Even as they pulled the gurney out, Brittany didn't let go of Santana's hand. She had to be her grounding force. The rope that pulled her out of the darkness. She couldn't let her go.

"You can't go with us through those doors."

Brittany's head snapped up, forcing herself to look away from Santana. "What?"

"There's a waiting room inside to the left. Someone will come find you." They started to lead the gurney away through the doors that Brittany wasn't allowed through.

"But she's my –"

"We'll take care of her." And they were gone.

" – world." She said it to no one and everyone, with her hand still reaching out.

Her family hadn't been far behind. They managed to run by Brittany, slumped against the wall by the doors they had taken Santana through.

"Brittany! Come on pumpkin, lets go wait inside." Her father wrapped his arm around his eldest and guided her through to the waiting room.

4:13 AM

She was exhausted but couldn't sleep. But she didn't feel like she was awake either. Maybe it was a dream, a nightmare. She would wake up and Santana would be there. No bruises, no tears, no pain. Just Santana, there to tell her to not watch horror movies before bed.

"Excuse me," She approached the nurse's station. "Can you tell me anything about Santana Lopez? They brought her here about an hour ago."

The nurse looked her over. Red puffy eyes, disheveled shirt, jeans that hadn't been buttoned, and shoes that were left untied. She gave the young blonde in front of her a small smile. "I'll try and find out where she is. What's your name sweetheart?"

"Brittany. And thanks." She shuffled back to where her family was sitting.

4:46 AM

A young doctor came into the waiting room and spotted the Pierce family. "Excuse me, are you friends of Santana Lopez?"

Brittany's head shot up. "Is she okay? Can I see her?"

"You can see her, but you need to understand a few things."

Everything he said was a blur as he led them through several doors and down a few hallways. All Brittany managed to understand was that she had been hit in the head. Hard. Causing some sort of swelling that they had somehow fixed. But they didn't know if she'd wake up. She didn't understand anything. But the last part sent her into a panic. She had understood that.

"Santana?" She was holding her hand while her parents were outside the room talking to a police officer. "I'm here. I know you know that. But I wanted to make sure."

Her younger sister had fallen asleep in one of the chairs in the small room. Brittany's cell phone perched under her chin.

5:30 AM

The police officer had left after getting as much information as he could. Which unfortunately was not a lot. He said he would be back when she woke up.

"Sweetheart, you should go home and get some sleep." Her mother was attempting to wake her youngest as her husband scooped her into his arms.

"No. I'm not leaving her, she needs me. She needs to know that I'm here." She didn't bother to look up. A fresh wave of tears streaming down her face.

Her mother sighed and nodded. "You should at least call some of your glee friends. I don't want you to be alone."

"Okay mom."

"Call us if anything changes. We'll be back in a few hours." She kissed her daughter's head before leaning over Santana to do the same. She didn't give birth to the girl, but over the years she had become a permanent member of the family.

6:00 AM

"Britt? What did I tell you about calling me this early?" Quinn's voice was groggy and irritated.

"Q-Quinn, I-I'm sorry. I didn't know who else to call."

"What's wrong?" She could hear exhaustion and a few hiccups, and something else she couldn't place. Beeping? "Where are you?"

"It's Santana." At the mention of the name Quinn rolled her eyes and fell back onto her pillow.

"I told you Britt, I don't want to hear about you love spats. It's too much to deal wi–"

"She's hurt. She's in the hospital. And they said she might not wake up." She choked the last part out.

"What?" Quinn sat up and started putting clothes on. "What happened? Britt? What's going on? Where are you?"

"She showed up at my house and she was covered in bruises and she fell asleep but I tried to wake her up and she wouldn't wake up so we called 911 and now I'm just waiting." It came out in one breath. "Quinn, I don't know what to do." She was sobbing into her phone.

"It's going to be ok. She's going to be ok. Santana's way too stubborn to not wake up before she's voted prom queen. You know that Britt." She sighed in relief when she heard Brittany choke out a small laugh, "Now where are you?"

"Lima General. Room 2224."

"I'm on my way." She hung up and climbed into her car. Before she left, she sent out a mass text.

GLEE EMERGENCY

SANTANA'S IN THE HOSPITAL

LIMA GEN RM 2224

DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG

It didn't take long for the other members to call or text her back to tell her that they were on their way.

6:05 AM

"Santana, you have to wake up. You have to. I can't do this without you. I can't be without you. So please."

She smoothed Santana's hair away from her forehead. Careful to avoid the patch on the side of her head where they'd apparently drilled a small hole. Giving her a gentle kiss on the nose.

"I love you. Please wake up."

6:15 AM

Quinn ran in, trying to regain her breath. She sat opposite Brittany and took Santana's other hand, taking in how small she looked. For all of the bitchiness and big talk, Quinn's heart broke to see her friend look so small and broken.

"You're going to be okay Santana." She whispered it into her ear, more for herself and Brittany. "She's going to be okay. She's stronger than this." She nodded at Brittany's tear stained face. "I let the rest of the glee club know. I think they're all on their way."

Brittany nodded. "I love her, Quinn."

"I know. I know Britt."

They sat in silence. Listening to the sounds of the hospital and each other's breathing and the steady sound of Santana's heart monitor. It didn't take long for the rest of the club to quietly file into the room. By 6:45 they were all crammed in. Waiting.

"Maybe we should sing to her." Rachel suggested as everyone rolled their eyes.

"Only if you want her to wake up and strangle you." Quinn stated while trying to suppress a laugh. Everyone else laughed, except Brittany.

"What happened?" Tina was the first to ask the question that everyone else wanted to know. They all looked at Brittany, who just stared at Santana, willing her to wake up.

"We don't really know guys. But we'll find out after she wakes up." Quinn said it with a tone of finality. Everyone else nodded.

7:30 AM

"I'm going to go get some coffee, who wants some?" Everyone's hands shot up into the air as Puck groaned. "Fine, then someone come with me." Everyone looked around, not wanting to be the one to leave Brittany, but desperate to not be in the room to hear her crying quietly.

"Why don't we all go? We can bring back some food and give Britt some time alone." Quinn looked at her teammates, her time as head cheerleader had its advantages. They all nodded and slowly made their way out the door giving Brittany's shoulder and Santana's free hand a squeeze.

The room was quiet again. Just the sound of her breathing and the monotonous beep from the machines.

"Santana, remember that ring you saw in a magazine? The one you said you wanted when we were seven? It had the blue stones in it, you said you liked it because it reminded you of my eyes."

She smiled at the memory. They had been lying on Santana's floor looking at Tiffany's catalogues that her mother had stacked up. Circling with a red sharpie the various things they wanted. By the time they had finished, almost everything had a red circle around it. But Santana had cut out the picture of the ring. It was platinum with a blue diamond in the center. Surrounded by small white ones.

_"I'm going to buy it for you S!"_

_"Okay! Why?" Santana scrunched her nose._

_"Because you're my best friend." It was a simple answer. And the truth._

_"Okay! Then, I'm going to buy you this." It was a simple necklace spelling out the word _Love_._

_"Why?"_

_"Because you're my best friend and I love you."_

_"Okay!"_

Brittany fingered the necklace she had on. Santana had kept her end of the deal.

"They don't make the ring anymore. But I found a place that has one. And he's letting me give him money a little bit at a time for it. I wanted to give it to you at prom. Because I just want to be with you. Forever. No matter what. I want to see you be a mom Santana. And be famous. And I want to watch you walk down an aisle towards me. I don't want to do any of that stuff without you. I can't. I don't know how. So please, please wake up." She cried as she put her head down on the bed.

"Did you just propose?" She heard a ragged and breathy question from above her.

"Santana?" Brittany lifted her head to find warm dark eyes staring down at her. "You're awake!" She cried as she gently pulled her face to hers. "You're awake." She kissed her and smiled. As quickly and gently as she could, she climbed into the small bed with her and carefully wrapped an arm around her. "I was so scared. I thought you were gone."

"I would never leave you Britt. Ever. And yes."

"Yes what?"

"I want all of those things. I want them with you. So, yes." She smiled and rested her head on Brittany's shoulder.

8:00 AM

The glee club filled back into the small room to find Brittany playing with Santana's hand as she detailed the events of the previous evening. Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief to find that their friend was awake and alive.

"You have to tell the cops. There's no way he can go away free. No way." Puck voiced over the glee club's murmurs.

"I know. I know." She looked down at her hand in Brittany's. She was circling the place where she knew the she had mentioned ring would reside. "I know."

"You know we're here for you, and that we'd do anything for you. No matter what." Rachel looked down, ashamed that she hadn't done more the previous night.

"Does that include singing to me? Because I'd rather you not." She smiled at her as Rachel looked up and wiped a tear from her cheek.

"Alright kids. You need to go. Miss Lopez here needs to rest. You can come back in a few hours." A nurse with a kind face ushered them out as they called back words of encouragement and promises to return.

"Can she stay? Please?" She pulled Brittany's arm around her.

The nurse smiled. "Sure thing sweetie." After checking her IV she turned and left.

"Thank you." Santana whispered.

"For what?"

"For loving me, and for letting me love you."

"I love you too Santana." She pressed a gentle kiss to her head. And began to hum the first few bars of what sounded like _Songbird_ as Santana drifted into a comfortable slumber.


	3. Chapter 3

This chapter is actually called _**I Know Things Now, Many Wonderful Things**_. Bonus points if you know where the title comes from! Also, this chapter is set about 10-ish years later from the last one and is the last in this story.

* * *

><p>Santana opened the door to their large apartment overlooking Central Park, setting her briefcase down. "I'm home." The apartment smelled like a mix of mac and cheese, bacon, and - fresh paint? "Babe?" She was making her way to the bedroom to change out of her constricting work clothes.<p>

"I'm in the studio. I'll be out in a few." They had converted one of the larger bedrooms into a mirrored dance studio for Brittany to work in after she'd been hired by the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre. Santana had been banned from it. Something about being too sexy and distracting, mixed with the constant desire to have sex in a room full of mirrors.

Santana emerged from their bedroom wearing an old pair of Brittany's sweats and a tank top that fit a little too snug. She eased herself onto the sofa, resting her head on the arm.

"Hi baby!" Brittany walked into the kitchen and poured a large glass of lemonade. "How was work?"

"I hate my job." She called back, resting the crook of her arm over her eyes.

"No you don't. You just hate everyone who works there."

"Because it's a fucking boys club. They don't know how to act around me anymore. Not that they ever did to begin with." Santana had worked her way up the ranks in one of New York's most powerful law firms. She did it with an ease and air of confidence that left the men in her wake speechless. Most of them feared her without ever speaking to her.

"That's because boys are stupid. Plus you're just better than they are. And they know that. You intubate them." Brittany said with a smile as she brought the glass to Santana, sitting on the arm of the sofa behind her and kissing the top of her head.

"Intimidate babe, not intubate."

"Right. Whatever. How's Rachel's case going?"

"Great. If that guy comes within a hundred miles of her again, he'll be strung up by his toenails. So she's happy. And she says hi. How was class?" She drained the glass.

"Same ole same ole. Cute kids. Pushy stage moms. You know how it is." At this, Santana began to cry. "Hey hey hey! What's wrong?"

"I just don't want to be one of those pushy parents. What happens if I'm not good at this? What if she doesn't like me? Or what if I don't like her?" Tears were streaming down her face. Brittany eased herself behind her wife and wrapped her arms around her.

"Santana. She's going to be beautiful. And you're going to love her. We're going to love her. And she's going to love us. Well, at least until she becomes a teenager." They both laughed.

"I'm going to be pregnant forever." She looked down at her swollen belly and sniffled.

"You're not going to be pregnant forever." Entwining their hands over Santana's belly. "Only for a few more weeks. And then we get to bring her home. We get to bring Grace home." She smiled as she said their daughter's name, feeling the baby kick against her hands.

"Whose idea was it for me to get pregnant anyway?" She heaved a heavy sigh.

"Yours." Brittany chuckled into her ear.

_They had been at the gypsy run for Rachel's newest Broadway show. Quinn stood at the back of the house, holding her new son. Santana and Brittany had opted to join her, watching the show over the numerous ensemble members who had shown up on their day off._

_When Quinn handed Adam to her, she wasn't sure how to respond. Brittany just watched, resting her hand on the small of Santana's back. Something in her body snapped. She watched as the tiny infant gurgled and readjusted his head to fit in the crook of Santana's arm. She couldn't help the smile that was spreading across her face._

_It didn't take long after that._

_"I think I want to have a baby. I want us to have a baby." The statement made Brittany stop moving in front of the mirror. She looked up to see Santana leaning against the doorway to the studio._

_"Really?" Brittany smiled as she crossed to where Santana was standing, never breaking her gaze. It was one of the few times Santana's 'distractions' were welcomed into the room._

"Right. I'm sorry I'm crazy. And fat." Santana looked down at their hands. She still felt her heart skip a beat when she saw the blue diamond in her engagement ring.

"You are not crazy. And you are not fat. You're beautiful." She pressed a trail of kisses along her wife's shoulder and neck. "Are you hungry? I made dinner."

"I am always hungry. Is that why it smells like my deepest fantasy in this place?"

"Mm-hhm. Mac and cheese, bacon, Nutella, and about a gallon of lemonade." Brittany was grateful that Santana's cravings hadn't been to crazy, or disgusting for that matter.

"Mmm. I love you."

"I have a surprise for you first though. Come on, time to get up." Her voice laced with enthusiasm and excitement.

"But I just sat down!" It came out more of a whine than anything else.

"Up up up!" Brittany was patting her shoulders gently, trying to push her very pregnant wife up and onto her feet.

"Fine." She groaned.

"Ok! Close your eyes! And give me your hand. No peaking!"

Brittany led a waddling Santana down the hallway and stopped in front of a closed door. She stood behind her, hands on her shoulders.

"Open your eyes!"

Santana did as she was told. Confusion washing over her face. "I'm not allowed in here. Remember? You can't tell me that now-" she motioned over her belly "you want me to be a sexy distraction."

"You, are always a sexy distraction." She kissed the nape of her neck. "Open the door San."

She did as she was told and entered the bright room. Instead of being met with a wall of mirrors, she saw walls that were painted a light purple with freshly painted yellow ducks along the border. A beautiful crib in the corner with a large soft duck perched in the middle. The changing table across was already stocked and had the diaper cake that Quinn had made sitting off to the side. The closet had all of the baby clothes hung and ready. A rack full of tiny shoes in the middle.

Along the wall were photos. Photos of their senior prom, Santana holding her hand out to show the glee club her new engagement ring. Santana's college graduation, Brittany's first dance solo at Lincoln Center, the two of them dancing next to a bonfire at a glee reunion. The ones that caught her eye though, were the wedding photos. Puck walking Santana down the aisle to meet a smiling tearful Brittany. Their first kiss, first dance. And her favorite, the two of them looking at one another, not realizing that a photo was being taken. So much in love.

Brittany had even managed to put up photos of Santana throughout the pregnancy. Brittany with her head over her belly. Santana looking out the window with her hands feeling the baby kick for the first time. A few of the frames were left empty.

Santana stood there, taking in the sight of the nursery. Tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Baby? Do you like it?" A hint of worry in her voice.

"I-I, I love it. When-how?" She turned to look at Brittany and was pulled into a kiss.

"Well, you work a lot, and you're not allowed in here. So, it wasn't that hard. Kurt, Blaine, and Finn helped take everything out. I knew you were busy with Rachel's case, plus she agreed to help keep you distracted. So, you like it?"

"It's amazing. I love it. How did I end up with someone as amazing as you?"

"Mmmmm. Not sure." She giggled and kissed her wife again. "See, here are where the baby pictures are going to go." She motioned to the empty frames on the wall. "Oh! And here's the best part!" She led her to an oversized rocking chair.

"Now you want me to sit down?" A hint of hormones flashing through her voice. Brittany smiled and rolled her eyes.

"It's super comfy. Just do it."

Santana eased herself down, allowing herself to relax in the gentle rocking.

"Now, close your eyes." Santana looked up, cocking an eyebrow. "Close your eyes! Ok, now imagine sitting in here, everything is quiet. Grace is in your arms, and you're singing her to sleep." A large smile appeared across Santana's face. "You're going to be amazing San. You are amazing. And I can't wait to meet her." She was kneeling on the floor, her head resting against Santana's belly. Listening.


End file.
